Initially Kidney Failure may go unnoticed. In some cases there may be no signs of the condition early on. In other cases, the symptoms are shared with numerous other diseases and conditions. These early symptoms may include a general feeling of tiredness or lack of health. Kidney failure is a growing problem across the world. Kidney failure, unfortunately, can have enormously few symptoms to initiate with. It will initial be detected on blood tests by your doctor when your kidney function declines. Kidney failure can make you very sick and require hospitalization. Approximately ten percent of the time, it results from a severe allergic reaction to medicines. This is called interstitial nephritis. People with interstitial nephritis generally recover.
There are two primary types of kidney failure in humans. The first occurs fairly suddenly and is called acute renal failure". We'll talk later about the causes of this condition. The second disease is more insidious and occurs over time. It is called chronic renal failure". This type of kidney failure has causes of its own. The treatment for both types of renal failure is roughly the same, with dialysis and kidney transplant being the most common treatments.
Kidney Failure Symptoms
Symptoms of acute kidney failure are many. The most common symptoms are a stoppage or slowing down of urine production, swelling of the ankles and legs, fluid retention elsewhere in the body, decreased sensation of the hands or feet, change in mental status, high blood pressure or nausea/vomiting. The kidneys become less efficient at eliminating water and clearing toxins, which are two of the kidneys' major roles. As function slips away, the kidneys also do less to help in the production of red blood cells (which is another important role they play). One vital function of the kidneys is to filter waste products from the blood. Every two minutes, the body's entire blood supply circulates through the kidneys, where the blood is filtered. Cleansed blood flows back to the heart, and waste products are filtered out into the urine.
Types Of Kidney Failure
One of the most common causes of acute kidney failure, also called acute renal failure, is the sudden loss of blood flow to the kidneys such as seen in trauma, surgery, septic shock, heavy bleeding, burns or acute dehydration. Infections can cause kidney failure, especially if they cause the kidneys to be infected as well. More rarely, acute tubular necrosis can cause the disease.
Sudden blockage of the kidneys can result in acute kidney failure as does auto immune diseases and diseases that clot the small blood vessels of the kidneys. Some of these conditions include having a transfusion reaction, having malignant high blood pressure (extremely high blood pressure), scleroderma or bleeding disorders of pregnancy like an abrupted placenta or a placenta previa.
Symptoms of acute kidney failure are many. The most common symptoms are a stoppage or slowing down of urine production, swelling of the ankles and legs, fluid retention elsewhere in the body, decreased sensation of the hands or feet, change in mental status, high blood pressure or nausea/vomiting.
Chronic kidney failure affects the kidneys more slowly but results in many of the same problems with the kidneys. In fact, it can occur over several years. While there may be no symptoms in the beginning, eventually the disease is as symptomatic as acute renal failure. Symptoms occur when the kidney function is less than 10% of normal.